Maitake Mushroom (Hen of the Woods): Nutrition, Vitamin D and Cooking

Maitake is a frilly, gray-brown mushroom that grows as one large cluster of overlapping caps, which is why it is also called hen of the woods. Its botanical name is Grifola frondosa. In USDA data, raw maitake has 31 calories per 100 grams, and its entry lists the highest vitamin D value of any SR Legacy mushroom that is not labeled as UV-exposed. This guide covers what the maitake mushroom is, its USDA nutrition, how its vitamin D value should be read, what Memorial Sloan Kettering says about maitake supplements, and how to cook it.

Peptide Labs does not sell maitake or maitake supplements. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is maitake (hen of the woods)?

A 2021 review in the journal Foods describes Grifola frondosa as an edible mushroom generally known as hen-of-the-woods, or maitake in Japanese. MSK’s About Herbs page lists more common names, including dancing mushroom, cloud mushroom and king of mushrooms, and describes it as an edible mushroom eaten widely in Asia. A 2018 review notes its large fruiting body of overlapping caps, which looks a bit like ruffled feathers.

Maitake is also grown commercially. A 2017 study in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry explains that maitake is generally cultured on sawdust from broadleaf trees. A farmed mushroom is a different situation from one picked in the woods, which is covered below.

Maitake nutrition (USDA SR Legacy)

USDA SR Legacy has one maitake entry, Mushrooms, maitake, raw (FDC 169403), and no cooked or dried version. The table gives values for a USDA cup of diced maitake and per 100 g, next to raw white button mushrooms (FDC 169251) for comparison. Percent Daily Values (%DV) use FDA reference amounts.

Like most mushrooms, maitake is about 90% water in USDA data, with little fat and a modest amount of carbohydrate and fiber. Per 100 g it lists more fiber and niacin than white mushrooms, but less protein, copper, riboflavin and potassium. A cup of diced maitake supplies 29% of the Daily Value for niacin in USDA data; our niacin foods guide and copper foods guide show where it sits among other foods. For the bigger picture on common mushrooms, see our mushroom guide.

Maitake and vitamin D: reading the number

The standout value is vitamin D. USDA lists 28.1 micrograms per 100 g of raw maitake, 140% of the Daily Value, against 0.2 micrograms for raw white mushrooms. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) states that mushrooms provide variable amounts of vitamin D2. ODS also notes that some mushrooms on the market are exposed to UV light on purpose to raise their vitamin D2; its fact sheet lists half a cup of UV-exposed sliced white mushrooms at 9.2 micrograms, or 46% of the Daily Value.

So the USDA maitake figure is one database value, not a promise about every package. If a package carries a Nutrition Facts label, that label is the number to go by. Our vitamin D foods guide compares mushrooms with fish, eggs and fortified foods.

Maitake supplements and D-fraction: what MSK says

Maitake is also sold as a dietary supplement in capsules, powders and liquid extracts, according to MSK’s About Herbs page. Some products are made from polysaccharide extracts; one widely used name is D-fraction, which a 2021 review says was first described more than three decades ago. MSK lists several purported uses for maitake, states that doctors have not studied its other uses to see if they work, and describes clinical data as limited. This guide does not repeat the purported uses.

MSK lists a higher white blood cell count as a reported side effect of maitake extract. It also advises talking with a healthcare provider before taking maitake supplements, and in particular if you are on a blood thinner such as warfarin, after a case report of a possible interaction, or on a glucose-lowering medicine. Supplements are more concentrated than the mushroom you cook with, so these cautions are about extracts rather than a pan of sauteed maitake.

Maitake is one of several mushrooms sold in supplement form. Our guides to reishi mushroom, lion’s mane and mushroom coffee look at what the research on those products does and does not show.

Is maitake healthy? Food vs supplement

As a food, maitake is a low-calorie mushroom that adds fiber, niacin and, in USDA data, a large amount of vitamin D to a meal. It fits into a varied diet like other mushrooms. Claims you may see online that link maitake to specific health effects come mostly from extract research, which MSK describes as limited in people, so they go beyond what eating the mushroom is known to do.

Wild maitake: leave identification to experts

Some people look for maitake in the woods, but this guide does not give identification advice. FDA’s model Food Code notes that over 5,000 species of fleshy mushrooms grow in North America, that most have never been tested for toxicity, and that some extremely poisonous species may be hard to tell apart from edible ones. A CDC report in MMWR described 14 death cap poisonings in Northern California in 2016, three of which needed liver transplants. Get maitake from a store or grower you trust, and do not eat wild mushrooms unless an expert has identified them in person.

How to cook maitake

• Choose: look for firm, dry clusters with no slimy or dark wet patches.
• Clean: brush off any debris or wipe with a damp towel rather than soaking, since the frilly caps hold water.
• Prepare: trim the dense base and tear the cluster into bite-size pieces by hand.
• Roast or saute: cook in a hot pan or oven with a little oil until the edges brown and crisp; maitake is almost always eaten cooked.
• Use: add it to grain bowls, eggs, pasta, soups and stir-fries, or serve it whole as a side.
• Store: keep it in the refrigerator in a paper bag and cook it soon.

Allergy and other practical notes

• Allergens: maitake is not one of the nine major food allergens that US labels must declare, although any food can cause a reaction in some people.
• Supplements: tell your healthcare provider about any mushroom supplement you take, as MSK advises.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a food allergy. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Chanterelles: Nutrition, Wild Mushroom Safety and How to Cook Them, Reishi Mushroom Benefits: Evidence, Liver Safety and Warfarin, Shiitake: Nutrition, Dried Shiitake and Why to Cook Them Well.